The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-01-25

AsSH.
The bin recently introduced in the
House of Representatives by the Hon.
Frank Hiscock of Syracuse, New York,
which provides for reduction in the duty
on sugar imported into the United States,
a synopsis of which is furnished by the
Associated Press, is worthy of particular
attention That a staple commodity in
such common, we might say universal,
use as sugar, should have to pay a duty
equal to and in many instances greater
than the original cost of the raw product
has long been regarded as a glaring in
equality in our tariff. There has also
been Il growing sentiment that with large
surplus revenue and a constant effort on
the part of Congress to reduce it, the duty
on sugar should be materially lessened if
not wholly removed. That no effort in
this direction has hitherto proved success
ful is accounted for by the fact that the in
terests Of Louisiana planters have been re-
garded as important, and the danger of
running that industry has been kept con-
5tantIy i'll view. In the bill mentioned
Representative Hiscock appears not to
have lost sight Of the home product, for he
provides for bounty to sugar producers
from cane, sorghum and beets, sufficient,
he thinks, to foster and encourage the
industry. The salient features OF the bill
Is given by the pres, dispatch are as fol
lows:
The first section of the bill provides that
on and after the 1st day of July, 1897 in
lieu OF the duties and rates imposed by law
on the importation Of sugars not above No.
10, Dutch standard. shall be levied the
following rates OF duty: All sugars not
above No. -, Dutch standard, in color,
shall pay a duty OF 70-I00 of 1 cent per
pound, and for every additional degree or
fraction of degree shown by the polari-
scope test they shall pay 2-lO0 cent per
pound additional; provided, that this shall
not apply to any sugar imported from any
country, levying an export duty or any
tax equivalent therto on said sugars, and
that upon all such foreign sugars upon
which export duties or any tax equivalent
thereto are laid by the country from
whence imported, there shall be levied the
duties now imposed by law; provided,
that for the encouragement and protection
of the cultivation of beets and sorghum,
and the manufacture thereof into sugar,
for every ton Of beets or sugar cane raised
by any farmer or planter in the United
States and manufactured into sugar in the
United States, the sum of 81 shall be paid
a bounty to the farmer or planter by
the Treasurer of the United States.
The second section provides that for the
purpose of this Act domestic sugar shall be
graded into five classes according to their
degrees Of polarization, on which the
bounty shall be paid as follows: On class
l, 81 cents per hundred pounds; class 2, 30
cents; class 3, SO cents; class 4, 81 cents,
and class (incuding all sugars above No.
Is, with polarization of 80 degrees), 81
cents. These bounties are to be paid upon
all merchantabIe sugar made within the
United States from beets, sorghum or any
other sugar cane or fruit or grain grown
within the United States, by the Treasurer
OF the United States, to any person or per-
sons who shall establish or plant such
;nanufactOry within the United States and
shah manufacture sugar from sorghum,
amber or other sugar cane or fruit or beets
or grain raised in the United States.
The bounty of - per ton on beetS or
cane manufactured into sugar is sufficient
to encourage agriculturists to engage
largely in this branch of agriculture and
the bounty to manufacturers, ranging from
81 cents to 81 cents on each one hundred
pounds of sugar made in the United States,
would also encourage manufacturers.
There is, however, one feature of great
Importance to beet sugar manufacturers
which should be carefully considered, viz,
the question of time for which law of the
kind proposed would remain in force
Under such a law, giving to beet-sugar
producers the assurance of a period of ten
or twenty years, there Is no reason to
doubt a large industry would be built up
in this State. One of the principal obsta-
ces to the development of this industry
has been the constant fear that Congress
would remove the duty on foreign-grOwn
sugar without furnishing protection for |
the home industry. This question once |
settled, and the beet sugar |
on this coast would soon find !
capital ready to embark in it. There is
scarcely a person Oh the coast, who has |
given the matter serious consideration,
who does not believe that this State is
adapted to the cultivation of the
sugar beet. With the progress already
made, there is no reason to doubt the
oracticability and feasibility this indus
ry here, provided reasonable assurance is
given of protection for a term of years.
This is what is contemplated i'll the meas
Ire, no doubt; but no uncertainty should
xist on that point.
In some particulars, the interests OF
louisiana planters and beet-sugar pro
lucers are identical in this matter. There
;, however, one important point of differ
nee. The cane industry of the South is
lready developed and new capital put
ntO sugar growing there would not, to so
arge an extent, be invested in the plant as
II developing the beet-sugar industry
lere. But both interests are important to
he United States, and both should act to-
,ether in endeavOring to secure the pas
age of bill of this kind.
Sugar growing on a large scale would
i've wide benefit. Agriculturists, Iaborers,
Mechanics, manufacturers and producers